diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 239272ffd..b34511711 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Before writing any code, please read the
 
 1. [Fork](https://help.github.com/articles/fork-a-repo/) the [POCO](https://github.com/pocoproject/poco) repo
 
-2. Keep your repo [synced](https://help.github.com/articles/syncing-a-fork/) with the upstream to ensure smooth progress (i.e. that your changes do not interfere or conflict with someone elses's work). Note that the [develop](https://github.com/pocoproject/poco/tree/develop) branch is where most of the ongoing development happens. For new features or libraries, create a new branch with a descriptive camel-cased name. See the mentioned [branching model](http://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/) for details.
+2. Keep your repo [synced](https://help.github.com/articles/syncing-a-fork/) with the upstream to ensure smooth progress (i.e. that your changes do not interfere or conflict with someone elses's work). Note that the [devel](https://github.com/pocoproject/poco/tree/devel) branch is where most of the ongoing development happens. For new features or libraries, create a new branch with a descriptive name. See the mentioned [branching model](http://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/) for details.
 
 3. Write the code changes; make sure they compile
 
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ Before writing any code, please read the
 
 6. Send [pull request](https://help.github.com/articles/using-pull-requests/) with a descriptive and clear commit message
 
+Important: Please don't send pull requests against the `master` branch. Pull requests should either target a specific release branch (if in ongoing development), or the `devel` branch.
+
 At this point, it's our turn; if you've done everything well, we may just thank you and merge your request. Otherwise, we may provide some comments or suggestions to steer the contribution in the right direction.
 
 ---